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GAA Clubs Had It Tough In The North During The Troubles

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Replying To Breffni39:  "It's an ignorant opinion.

If you've had any trauma in your life then I don't think you'd appreciate people telling you to get over it and everyone else has moved on."
Don't even go there

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 30/01/2019 10:27:52    2160871

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You call it ignorance I call it an opinion, I'm comfortable with my opinion and if your comfortable calling it ignorance then we are both happy
Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3332 - 1/30/19 10:04:57 AM

Ignorance truly is bliss.

I'm always amazed at anyone that has such certitude in their opinions despite being ignorant of the circumstances over which they are casting their opinions.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 30/01/2019 10:31:04    2160872

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Replying To MesAmis:  "You call it ignorance I call it an opinion, I'm comfortable with my opinion and if your comfortable calling it ignorance then we are both happy
Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3332 - 1/30/19 10:04:57 AM

Ignorance truly is bliss.

I'm always amazed at anyone that has such certitude in their opinions despite being ignorant of the circumstances over which they are casting their opinions."
You seem to know me very well Mes, seem to know the reasoning behind my views, seem to think you have the entitlement to call me ignorant!! have we met?

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 30/01/2019 11:01:38    2160876

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Replying To Richieq:  "
Replying To MesAmis:  "You call it ignorance I call it an opinion, I'm comfortable with my opinion and if your comfortable calling it ignorance then we are both happy
Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3332 - 1/30/19 10:04:57 AM

Ignorance truly is bliss.

I'm always amazed at anyone that has such certitude in their opinions despite being ignorant of the circumstances over which they are casting their opinions."
You seem to know me very well Mes, seem to know the reasoning behind my views, seem to think you have the entitlement to call me ignorant!! have we met?"
Don't know you so can only go on what you post.

It it walks like a duck etc

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 30/01/2019 11:54:35    2160891

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Replying To Richieq:  "The success any club may achieve is not because of its past its down the work being done in the present, my point is everyone suffered not just GAA clubs and I don't think harking back to days best forgotten is a good thing to do when celebrating success, too many people in the North still look back instead of forward in my opinion, the fact that there hasn't been a functioning executive for so long now to carry out the work the people voted them to do is a prime example of that."
That's like saying to a club, don't invest in long term plans because it's all about what happens in the present. Or telling an athlete not to remember a deseased relative who was a big influence on their success because those days are best forgotten. Bringing up an incompetent NI assembly who can't live up to their predecessors work has nothing to do with the GAA and how people should enjoy long awaited success. You have a very misguided opinion of the North and the feelings of people in general based on the things you've said on here.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 30/01/2019 14:02:14    2160940

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Replying To Richieq:  "The success any club may achieve is not because of its past its down the work being done in the present, my point is everyone suffered not just GAA clubs and I don't think harking back to days best forgotten is a good thing to do when celebrating success, too many people in the North still look back instead of forward in my opinion, the fact that there hasn't been a functioning executive for so long now to carry out the work the people voted them to do is a prime example of that."
That's like saying to a club, don't invest in long term plans because it's all about what happens in the present. Or telling an athlete not to remember a deseased relative who was a big influence on their success because those days are best forgotten. Bringing up an incompetent NI assembly who can't live up to their predecessors work has nothing to do with the GAA and how people should enjoy long awaited success. You have a very misguided opinion of the North and the feelings of people in general based on the things you've said on here.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 30/01/2019 14:03:57    2160941

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My county has always had a fairly ignorant and underlying partitionist attitude when it comes to the north, just look at how well Fine Gael always poll here. I'll never forget the abuse Meath fans were dishing out to Tyrone fans in 2007... "f**k off back to the queen" etc. There really is a bitter anti-"nordie" sentiment in Meath, and noticeable in Mayo too

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4122 - 30/01/2019 16:55:47    2160992

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Replying To 32_4_1:  "My county has always had a fairly ignorant and underlying partitionist attitude when it comes to the north, just look at how well Fine Gael always poll here. I'll never forget the abuse Meath fans were dishing out to Tyrone fans in 2007... "f**k off back to the queen" etc. There really is a bitter anti-"nordie" sentiment in Meath, and noticeable in Mayo too"
Actually I think you will find Fianna Fail were the traditional stronger party prior to 2011 and Sinn Fein have a strong foothold in the county so your talking nonsense there sir, once again you like every other drama queen on here is missing the point, I not ignorant to the past struggles of GAA clubs in the North, all I have said is that everyone suffered, people from all sides and none, people from various clubs and organisations and, in my opinion, harking back to dark days is unnecessary when a club is celebrating a success, the work of today is more relevant and the past is just that.......the past. Now if that opinion makes me ignorant well then that's a monicker I will gladly wear

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 30/01/2019 18:02:05    2161011

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Well as people in the North again! are looking south for support maybe this time we will stand by their side. For decades they suffered in silence and had to endure a local govt that simply reviled and hated them. As a result they are what they are and we have to stand with them and admire those people that laboured through very dark days to keep OUR games alive.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 30/01/2019 18:20:00    2161018

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Everyone in Northern Ireland suffered. Don't tell me who I should stand beside. I think picking sides isn't a positive thing to do especially when no side is completely right or wrong. It's abit more nuanced than that.

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 30/01/2019 20:30:26    2161047

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Who's picking sides?
The article was about a GAA club from the edge of Belfast who won an All Ireland semi final the weekend before last. A club who had a manager and president shot to death in the 90s.
Surely it's worth reflecting on how far they've come given what they had to deal with.
Your response was "give us a break". A break from acknowledging what the club had gone through in the very recent past? The first I had heard of the story was a few weeks before we were due to play them. Their story is well worth telling, given the contrast with where they are now.
What other story is supposed to be in the article that has anything to do with the club and the match he was at?
Everyone should acknowledge the suffering on both sides, as you've mentioned. Absolutely right. Why then however do you seem so reluctant to acknowledge what this club and community went through?

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2037 - 30/01/2019 21:11:16    2161056

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "Who's picking sides?
The article was about a GAA club from the edge of Belfast who won an All Ireland semi final the weekend before last. A club who had a manager and president shot to death in the 90s.
Surely it's worth reflecting on how far they've come given what they had to deal with.
Your response was "give us a break". A break from acknowledging what the club had gone through in the very recent past? The first I had heard of the story was a few weeks before we were due to play them. Their story is well worth telling, given the contrast with where they are now.
What other story is supposed to be in the article that has anything to do with the club and the match he was at?
Everyone should acknowledge the suffering on both sides, as you've mentioned. Absolutely right. Why then however do you seem so reluctant to acknowledge what this club and community went through?"
Well said.

A club that has come through hardship whilst moving forward should be acknowledged.

Sadly, a couple of posters, are too obsessed with the past, in the guise of "moving on" from the past ironically, that they can't see that. Any thread, in any way, dealing with the past and the North, or the language or whatever is bound to have the two lads turn up on it showing how progressive and mature they are and diminishing people's suffering in the guise of balance.

Acknowledging that people suffered does not diminish others suffering like the two right on and mature posters suggest.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 31/01/2019 08:04:13    2161107

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "Who's picking sides?
The article was about a GAA club from the edge of Belfast who won an All Ireland semi final the weekend before last. A club who had a manager and president shot to death in the 90s.
Surely it's worth reflecting on how far they've come given what they had to deal with.
Your response was "give us a break". A break from acknowledging what the club had gone through in the very recent past? The first I had heard of the story was a few weeks before we were due to play them. Their story is well worth telling, given the contrast with where they are now.
What other story is supposed to be in the article that has anything to do with the club and the match he was at?
Everyone should acknowledge the suffering on both sides, as you've mentioned. Absolutely right. Why then however do you seem so reluctant to acknowledge what this club and community went through?"
Yeah there isnt alot wrong with your statement except that the GAA in Northern Ireland especially but also in Ireland doesn't acknowledge suffering on both sides. It acknowledges suffering on one side. I think St Endas do a great job and suffered alot. I don't agree with their cultural agenda as a whole because I think sports clubs should just stick to sports but that's my personal opinion. If the GAA wants to be seen as inclusive then there should be a huge push to open GAA clubs in Unionist areas minus the Gaelic/language agenda. Just open clubs where boys and girls can play hurling and football..like 98% of clubs in the South do. There should be no threat to their Unionism from the GAA. At the moment the GAA is seen as biased by the vast majority of Unionists. So it has a long way to go.

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 31/01/2019 09:18:38    2161109

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Replying To bloodyban:  "Yeah there isnt alot wrong with your statement except that the GAA in Northern Ireland especially but also in Ireland doesn't acknowledge suffering on both sides. It acknowledges suffering on one side. I think St Endas do a great job and suffered alot. I don't agree with their cultural agenda as a whole because I think sports clubs should just stick to sports but that's my personal opinion. If the GAA wants to be seen as inclusive then there should be a huge push to open GAA clubs in Unionist areas minus the Gaelic/language agenda. Just open clubs where boys and girls can play hurling and football..like 98% of clubs in the South do. There should be no threat to their Unionism from the GAA. At the moment the GAA is seen as biased by the vast majority of Unionists. So it has a long way to go."
I wish I could say the same about your statement but where do I even start. The 'cultural agenda' as you call it I suppose. What do you really know about the supposed 'agenda' of a north Belfast club all the way down in Limerick? The clubs doors are open to anyone to join and I know first hand of lads from the Unionist community that play for clubs in Belfast and Derry. Those clubs are aware of their background and they are treated as equal without any prejudice.

Opening GAA clubs in Unionist areas is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard and it shows me you haven't a notion of how things work in the north. Have you not listened to what happens to GAA clubs even today in their own community. They are vandalised and petrol bombed by loyalists who can't even accept them in republican areas. The fact that you mentioned the language would suggest you know how bigoted some unionists are about the notion of a language being promoted. Start putting GAA clubs in their communities and it will be open season on sectarian attacks. Not to mention nobody would play for those clubs because a) there is no real interest from the Unionist community in general and b) nationalist lads would feel intimidated coming and going form a club in that type of area.

Your opinions are a long way from reality so I can see why you're writing some of the nonsense you are.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2385 - 31/01/2019 10:13:46    2161122

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Wow!!! Bloodyban

Both sides suffered!! Have a GAA club in a Unionist area?????

Of course in the conflict there was death and injuries on both sides BUT one side inflicted sectarianism on the other side, gerrymandering existed in the predominantly Nationalist areas of Newry , Belfast Derry etc, one man one vote, housing, jobs etc

The violence has gone ( well nearly) but there is still the sectarian attitudes re the GAA, yes things are changing , but we aren't equal with a club in Limerick.

If a GAA club in the north goes for funding , planning permission etc we are met with the usual 'corporate' or'paper bigotry .
I relation to the media BBC/UTV/Radio Ulster things are changing at a slow rate, but I still see us as second class compared to Irish league soccer in front of their few hundred or motorbikes...
On a Saturday afternoon 12 TV crew and roughly 20 radio crews ( ie more than 1 person) are despatched to various Irish league grounds by our local media, the GAA in turn have to shout and beg to get a minimum recognition by the same crews......
In relation to the Irish language , it a part of the GAA that we embrace and cherish our language.....
and to place a GAA club in a Unionst area, wow!! - you lead the way and I'll follow....
Under the Cuchulainn project the Ulster council goes into protestant schools but that has come under massive opposition in certain areas by some prominant politicians.....
The GAA in na se Chontae is alive and we will keep going!!!

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1671 - 31/01/2019 11:44:13    2161151

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MesAmis - Excellent post.


The St Enda's club need no advice on who or how to remember as they celebrate their club's development, progression and honour of reaching an All Ireland final. It is fine for people to have different views and share them. However there are 'facts' that must be faced up to so that lessons can be learned and history does not repeat itself.

Sadly, as with many GAA clubs across Northern Ireland, St Enda's had many dark days where their members were intimidated, brutalised and murdered. Why? In many peoples eyes their crime was that they were catholics. Stating this fact does not diminish the reality that over 3000 people lost their lives and the suffering and heartbreak that came with that is almost imaginable. In the current debate around Brexit I see little mention of the potential impact on Gaelic games. We should all remember that 'borders' did not just exist along territorial boundaries. Security borders were 'applied' that were used to disrupt, intimidate and instil fear in Gaels going about their lawful business. We can all play a part in ensuring this does not happen and we can never return to those days.

There is an immense feeling of pride, that all gaels share, to pull on the jersey and represent your parish and/or county. Whether you are a successful club or just playing the games and doing our best. It matters not. As a minimum we should show respect to each other. No need to set out guidelines for this, we all know what is right. And one sure thing. We should all marvel at the success of St Enda's and have empathy and understanding of what their success was built on.

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 286 - 31/01/2019 12:47:53    2161167

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Replying To Richieq:  "The success any club may achieve is not because of its past its down the work being done in the present, my point is everyone suffered not just GAA clubs and I don't think harking back to days best forgotten is a good thing to do when celebrating success, too many people in the North still look back instead of forward in my opinion, the fact that there hasn't been a functioning executive for so long now to carry out the work the people voted them to do is a prime example of that."
The success any club may achieve is not because of its past its down the work being done in the present

Utter tripe my royal friend.

The very existence of St Enda's and a lot of other clubs in the North was reliant on those members who would not deny their Irish culture in the face of oppression , discrimination and murder and is one of the reasons the GAA is so strong in the North and not given up lightly. Glengormley nationalists have a focal point to be proud off because of these brave men and women and should not be forgotten.

Joe Brolly knows this only too well, but his propensity of needing a villain to embellish the story in this case An Spidéal is totally unnecessary and exposes Joe's journalistic lackings.

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 31/01/2019 13:20:42    2161175

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Replying To bloodyban:  "Everyone in Northern Ireland suffered. Don't tell me who I should stand beside. I think picking sides isn't a positive thing to do especially when no side is completely right or wrong. It's abit more nuanced than that."
Everyone! no they didn't, that is just incorrect (IMO). So what we seem to have being advocated here is now an "all inclusive suffering" bizarre history for sure. The people who lost people suffered the most no matter what community they come from end of yeah i get that. However In the context of the GAA and the sports I love (which is what we are talking about on this forum) why oh why would I (or anyone else) stand with another lot that hates and despises that? In fact they don't just hate the GAA they seem to have some special hatred reserved for even soccer players from a certain community. In the context of going forward positively, you do have to look at the news and see the fault lines that were just glossed over and nothing of substance was dealt with. I fear Brexit will open things up again much to the delight it would seem of a certain community. But it is about the GAA and GAA people in the North had a real hard time of it.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 31/01/2019 22:51:51    2161296

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Replying To bloodyban:  "Everyone in Northern Ireland suffered. Don't tell me who I should stand beside. I think picking sides isn't a positive thing to do especially when no side is completely right or wrong. It's abit more nuanced than that."
Of course there were wrongs committed on all side and I would never agree with the taking of life. You are missing a very important point here in that there was a situation in the North of our country where what was supposed to be the forces of law and order were committing/involved in murders- very obvious ones in the south of our country were Belturbet, Monaghan and Dublin (and of course numerous ones in the North), just to name a few- you need to take a lesson in our history/recent past and refrain from posting about incidents/historical aspects that you obviously appear to know little about.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 01/02/2019 01:38:33    2161322

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